More summer fun

So we got to go swimming a couple of times because Daddy's scouts had merit badges to earn. Mason is a funny kid. He likes the water, but he doesn't like being in the kiddy pool alone; he is afraid of splashing, but he keeps wanting to go down the water slide; he clings like a leech to Mommy in the water, but every so often does something that causes him to go under.

Aiden loved every minute of it.

 We went to one of those places that reenacts old battles. I didn't realize that I now live in an area that was involved in the Civil War.

Mason got a kick out of the guns and all the horses. His preschool assigns the kids an animal as a sign, to label his cubbyhole, etc, and his is a horse, so he is really into them right now.

 It was HOT!

And we decided to make some cookies. It's so much fun making cookies and bread and stuff with the kids. Mason even helps me with dinner sometimes.

I wonder if it is because of the samples.

He's learning he has to share them with his brother though.

Yum!

One random day we were bored and Mike decided to take us to a cool place he knew of nearby. It used to sit over a lake and you could pull boats up to it, and was obviously very nice, but has been abandoned for years. Very cool though.

Mason liked this staircase. We had to be careful though, a couple was shooting engagement pics and we didn't want to get in the way.

Look at how good he walks!

He's so proud of being able to walk everywhere.

And I couldn't resist these last two pictures. One of the first times we gave Aiden spaghetti and I don't think he's ever looked that messy. Spaghetti makes it look worse than it is sometimes.

Love the spaghetti on the wall. Good thing we haven't worked on the kitchen yet.

Pre-school

Another thing I'm being slow about, Mason started pre-school in August. He's loving it! He got a new hair cut and a new backpack and he gets to ride the bus, and he's learning how to talk more, and it's great.  Here's some pictures of him on one of the first days of school, waiting for the bus.

I'm glad he is enjoying school and all, but I miss him. And sometimes I think he likes school better than home. But his vocabulary is expanding now rapidly, he is much more communicative, and he's started potty training finally. So it's a good thing.

But I miss him. 

Aiden's birthday

Aiden's birthday party was a little late because big brother was sick. And this post is super late because Mommy was slacking. Mommy made a strawberry/vanilla smash cake for Aiden with whipped cream frosting. It was mostly white, but we put some green food coloring in some of it so we could write on it. He liked.
Here's a video of it with some pictures.

Happy first birthday baby boy!